5 more things to know about when designing a pneumatic conveying system for bulk powders

Here’s the second part of the list of ten things you need to look at when you decide to install a new pneumatic conveying system.

If you’re new to the topic and feel that you’d benefit from a general introduction to the subject, the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) has a good presentation on the basics of pneumatic conveying.

6. Take the Material Container into Account

Sometimes it can be harder to get the material into the conveyor than it is to actually move it around the plant. You need to know how the material is held before pickup because the system needs to include a device capable of loading the material into the conveying line. Sometimes there’s a sack tip station where sack tip equipment is used to load the material into a hopper, ensuring better flow.
7. Customise the Pickup Point If Necessary

Frequently, custom pickups are designed. These provide a single unit that merges a bag dump using sack tip equipment with the functions of a bulk bag unloader in order to get the material flowing readily to the pickup point.

8. Consider the Whole Process

Conveyor system designs from http://www.aptech.uk.com/ are far more effective when the designer is given details of the whole process. An understanding of the process that is being fed by the conveyor can change important aspects of the conveyor design. As an example, if the feeder being considered is a “loss in weight” type, it will need quick refills.

It may seem unnecessary to take the plant location into account, but it can make the difference between an energy-efficient and robust system and one that uses a lot of power and has periods of downtime. For example, altitude affects the operation of vacuum pumps.

10. Check the Industry Sector

Different industries operate to different standards, and these may affect the material used to build the conveying system. When food hygiene is important, stainless steel may be indicated, whereas for other processes ordinary carbon steel may be adequate.

This concludes our look at the ten steps for getting a cost-effective, robust, sustainable conveyor system. Think about these when you talk to a designer, and it will help to ensure that you get a suitable system.